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Gottlieb Daimler, of Wurtemberg Germany, is generally regarded as the inventor of the first gasoline powered motorcycle, taking his inaugural ride on November 10, 1885. From that humble beginning over a century ago, a sport and industry sprang into being. Hundreds of makers world wide began producing well over a thousand different models of motorcycles, capturing the minds, hearts, and imagination of tens of millions of devotees and enthusiasts.

Daimler's invention bore little resemblance to the motorcycles of today, other than it was a two wheeled vehicle and even that was subject to interpretation. Evidently harboring some doubts regarding the stability of his creation, Daimler outfitted it with rather large outrigger ot trundle wheels to keep it from falling side ways.

The grandfather of motorcycles sported a springless wooden frame with a verticle fork and iron tired wooden wheels, topped by a padded saddle. The motor was a half- horsepower, single cylinder affair with a thin metal jacket surrounding the cylinder. Air was forced around the cylinder by a fan on the crankshaft to provide cooling for the tiny powerplant. Final drive was achieved by means of a flat leather belt, tensioned by an idler pulley.

Choppers are custom motorcycles, which first emerged in the US in the mid-1960s. Many consider choppers to be the most extreme of all custom bike styles. And, for good reason. Choppers use radically-modified steering angles and lengthened forks for that “stretched-out” look.

Choppers can be built from scratch or be based on a standard bike. And while, once you know what a chopper looks like, there is no mistaking them; choppers have some characteristics that are unique to this type of motorcycle. These features include long front ends with extended forks, hardtail frames (frames without suspension), very tall (or very short) handlebars, a stretched frame, and often larger front wheels.

Now is the best time to buy a pre-owned bike! The economy is strong, interest rates are at an all-time low, and more banks than ever are offering motorcycle financing.

More importantly, did you know that the entry price of a pre-owned bike is lower than you think? That’s right. Most people think used Harley-Davidson and similar bikes are expensive. But they aren’t. Many used entry-level Harleys are very affordable.

The single most important factor in determining what is the right bike for you is experience. Your level of experience riding bikes will determine what’s the best bike that will provide you with a joyful ride, while keeping you, and others, safe on the road.